Movie · 2011 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 45m · R · English
Curator score: 0.6/10 (137.7K ratings)
One week. No rules.
Overview
When best buds Rick and Fred begin to show signs of restlessness at home, their wives take a bold approach to revitalize their marriages, they grant the guys a 'hall pass'—one week of freedom to do whatever they want. At first, it seems like a dream come true, but they quickly discover that their expectations of the single life—and themselves—are completely and hilariously out of sync with reality.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.6/10
IMDb: 5.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 32%
Metacritic: 45
TMDB: 5.7/10
Director
Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Production
New Line Cinema, Conundrum Entertainment
Cast
Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate, Nicky Whelan, Richard Jenkins, Stephen Merchant, Larry Joe Campbell, Bruce Thomas, Tyler Hoechlin, Derek Waters, Alexandra Daddario, Rob Moran, Lauren Bowles, Christa Beth Campbell, Macsen Lintz, Kristin Carey, Joy Behar, Carly Craig, Kaliko Kauahi
Curator Review
Verdict
A broad, raunchy mid-2010s Farrelly comedy with a few committed bits, but the premise is thin and the jokes are too often crude, repetitive, or dated to carry the movie. It may work as low-stakes background viewing for fans of bro-comedy chaos, but it is not a strong recommendation.
Best for
Viewers who like crude studio comedies from the 2000s and early 2010s
Fans of Owen Wilson or Jason Sudeikis doing loose, hangout-style comedy
People in the mood for an easygoing but stupid premise with occasional gross-out gags
Skip if
You dislike sex-comedy humor or jokes built around male immaturity
You want sharp writing, emotional depth, or a more modern take on relationships
You are sensitive to dated gender dynamics or repetitive gross-out material
Overview
Hall Pass is built on a simple fantasy premise: what if married guys got a week off from responsibility? The movie treats that idea as a license for increasingly dumb behavior, and it mostly plays like a string of sketches rather than a fully developed comedy. There are a few funny stretches, but the film leans hard on crude escalation and broad stereotypes instead of real comic insight.
Worth noting
The cast is game, especially Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis, who can sell the slack-jawed desperation the movie needs. Still, the script keeps undercutting itself by making the central men so oblivious that the premise starts to feel less like wish fulfillment and more like a warning label. The wives, meanwhile, are often reduced to the straight-man role the movie needs rather than given much texture.
Bottom line
As a Farrelly Brothers comedy, it has the expected mix of bodily humor, awkward social behavior, and a few absurd detours. But compared with the better entries in this lane, it feels more tired than outrageous, more embarrassed than inventive. If you already know you enjoy this specific brand of mainstream raunch, it may pass the time; otherwise, there are sharper and funnier alternatives.
Top Letterboxd reviews
robyn (0.5★) · 673 likes
Michael takes bag with 'DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT' written on it. Michael looks in bag.
"I don't know what I was expecting."
aksel (1★) · 517 likes
this movie is so straight and unfunny that it should be a crime.
everyone in this movie would go to a straight pride parade i hate them all so much
also at one point owen wilson and his friends eat a pot brownie and their eyes literally become bloodshot red and one of their buddies takes a shit on the golf course. i hate this so much. i cannot believe i even put this on ..what was i thinking?
i guess i just wanted to watch an owen wilson movie but i feel genuinely depressed after watching this jesus
Simon Ramshaw (2★) · 390 likes
Well, that's the last time I let my parents choose a film for a while.
Billem (1★) · 332 likes
you’re married to christina applegate and you want to hook up with other people? i don’t buy it